This one was a happy accident. It’s still stonefruit season, at least for another couple of weeks. I cut firm-ripe nectarines into quarters. I was prepping them to be grilled and mixed in with roasted broccolini and baby potatoes. This mix was to be served with grilled ribeye (recipe below).

The nectarines went into a big bowl, then I drizzled them with some good olive oil, sprinkled some salt and pepper, and mixed them by hand to distribute. I just happened to try one to test the seasoning and OMG! Grilled this way was excellent, but RAW was killer. I ended up serving just this – raw seasoned nectarines – at a potluck the next weekend cuz it was so good. You could use peaches, or both. Don’t matter. The olive oil and S&P on the fruit is amazeballs.

These are the small, unassuming places away from the well-worn footpaths of intrepid foodmeisters. Their name and location are often exposed in a hushed whisper over fancy coffee, “You have to try this place…before it gets discovered.” Writing a review for public consumption feels treasonous. But the place is SO impressive that one is compelled to share the news. I found two such gems in one week. A rare event, indeed.

Previously on Chef Tom’s Big Adventure:

Istanbul, Pt. 1
One of my favorite parts of my Big Adventure was engaging my fan base back home in voting. They would vote where I would go and what I would do, and even what I should eat. People ended up being able to vote for a good half dozen mini-adventures. In Istanbul they had to choose between two different food items for my lunch. I figured out early on to make choosing difficult, too, to play up each choice as exciting and compelling, so that it would be tough.